- Zimbabwe’s maize imports dropped sharply to US$391.3 million in April
- The decline signals a tentative recovery from the severe El Niño-induced drought
- Zimbabwe requires approximately 2.2 million metric tons of maize annually
Harare-Zimbabwe’s maize imports dropped sharply to US$391.3 million in April 2025 from US$686.9 million in March, according to the latest trade data from Zimbabwe Statistics Agency (Zimstat).
The 43% decline signals a tentative recovery from the devastating El Niño-induced drought that crippled the 2023-24 agricultural season, the worst in over four decades due to its severe impact on crop yields ,food security and rural livelihoods, leaving the nation heavily reliant on imports to meet its food security needs.
The 2023-24 agricultural season (May 2023 to April 2024) was severely impacted by an El Niño-driven drought, the most extreme characterised by critically low rainfall prolonged dry spells and record temperatures.
The drought decimated over 900,000 hectares of maize crops, leading to a projected 60% drop in maize production to 635,000 tonnes, compared to 1.5 million tonnes in the 2022-23 season, according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
The shortfall prompted Zimbabwe to declare a state of disaster in April 2024, highlighting the crisis’s severity.
Zimbabwe requires approximately 2.2 million metric tons of maize annually,1.8 million for human consumption and 400,000 for livestock feed.
With the 2023-24 harvest meeting less than a third of this demand, imports surged, peaking at US$924.2 million in May 2024, as the nation scrambled to address food insecurity affecting an estimated 5.3 million people in 2024, per the World Food Programme (WFP).
The sharp reduction in April 2025 imports reflects multiple factors. Improved rainfall during the 2024-25 season has raised hopes for a stronger harvest than the previous year’s dismal output.
The government reported that 1.7 million hectares were planted with maize in 2024-25, slightly down from the prior season but bolstered by subsidised seeds and fertilizers.
Improved rainfall also contributed regionally with South Africa, Zimbabwe’s primary maize supplier, achieving a strong 14.66 million-tonne maize harvest in 2024-25, stabilising prices and supply chains. Zambia, another key partner, projects a 3.66 million-tonne harvest for 2024-25, a significant rebound from its El Niño-affected 1.5 million tonnes in 2023-24.
To minimise the import bill government needs to invest more in terms of irrigation infrastructure, however, progress is hampered by funding constraints.
The cumulative area under irrigation is projected to reach 496,000 hectares by 2025, but ongoing financial challenges have impeded this goal.
Since 2020, only 48,000 hectares have been developed, falling short of the 110,000-hectare target and reflecting a 43.6% achievement rate.
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